A 16-year-old girl suffered around 45% burns while a woman got away with minor burn injuries after an electricity cable snapped at Vaishali’s Sector 2 in Ghaziabad

The victims’ shanties also caught fire in the incident that took place in Vaishali.(Sakib Ali/HT Photo)

A 16-year-old girl suffered around 45% burns while a woman got away with minor burn injuries after an electricity cable snapped at Vaishali’s Sector 2 in Ghaziabad on Saturday afternoon. The girl was rushed to a private hospital in Kaushambi and was later referred to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi.

According to the victims’ families, their shanties are located near an electricity transformer in Vaishali and the cable snapped after a loud explosion in the transformer.

“I was present nearby when I heard the explosion and saw my shanty on fire. I rushed to it and saw my daughter screaming in pain. She got electrocuted as she was taking a bath at the time. She suffered severe burns and I rushed her to Yashoda Hospital where the doctors referred her to Delhi,” said Ram Nath, father of the girl, Kiran.

According to the attending doctors at Yashoda Hospital, she suffered nearly 45% burns.

“The entire right side of her body sustained burns. Some parts on her left were also burnt. She was administered primary aid and referred to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi,” said Dr Sunil Dagar, spokesperson, Yashoda Hospital, Kaushambi.

The other victim, Sunita, a housewife, also suffered burns, but is said to be stable.

“Our belongings were burnt in the fire that started after the cable fell. My mother was rushed to a hospital, but her injuries are not serious. The doctors said she will return home soon,” said Chandni, her daughter.

While the girl’s family is from Hardoi, the woman’s family hails from Mahoba district.

When asked, MC Sharma, superintending engineer, Paschimanchal Vidyut Vitaran Nigam Limited, said he will order an inquiry into the incident.

In a similar incident that took place in December last year, a Honda City car in Ramprastha was reduced to ashes after an overhead electricity cable snapped and fell on the car.